Audi unveiled the A2 e-tron, an electric compact hatchback designed to reinforce its position in Europe as Chinese rivals expand with lower-priced EVs. The model starts at €38,200 in Germany, where orders open September 10, 2026, and first deliveries are scheduled for December. Audi says the A2 e-tron is its most efficient vehicle yet, with WLTP consumption of 12.8 kWh per 100 km and a maximum range of 646 km. Buyers can select power outputs from 125 kW to 240 kW and batteries with 52 kWh, 61 kWh or 84 kWh of gross capacity. The rear-wheel-drive vehicle uses permanently excited synchronous motors and includes bidirectional charging. Audi will produce it at Ingolstadt, using existing components and equipment to shorten development time. The launch follows two consecutive years of falling Audi sales, including a 7% decline in the first half of 2026, and coincides with Volkswagen Group plans to cut 100,000 positions by the end of the decade.